---
title: "HQ Thresholds: Establishing critical loads from theshold values"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-4234882c-adc8-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-4234882c-adc8-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-4234882c-adc8-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-4234882c-adc8-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS"
published: "2016-11-18"
---

# HQ Thresholds: Establishing critical loads from theshold values

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-4234882c-adc8-11e6-9901-0019b9f3037b

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## Summary

The procurement process titled "HQ Thresholds: Establishing critical loads from threshold values" was initiated by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in London, England. This project falls under the industry category of research and development services. The tender period concluded on 24 November 2014, with an awarded contract dated 10 March 2015. The total contract value is £34,840, and the delivery addresses span across various regions, including the United Kingdom and British Overseas Territories, among others. The contract is intended for services related to the assessment of biodiversity through the development of Critical Load functions regarding nitrogen and sulphur deposition.

This tender presents an opportunity for businesses involved in environmental consultancy, research and development, particularly those with expertise in ecological assessments or pollution modelling. Companies with capabilities in providing robust data analysis or specialised habitat quality assessments may find this contract well-suited to their profiles. The project is significant as it contributes to national responses under international environmental agreements, thus opening avenues for firms looking to engage with governmental environmental initiatives.

## Notice

Under the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP), the UK will be requested by the Coordination Centre for Effects (CCE) to respond to a "Call for Data" by March 2015. The HQThresholds project (AQxxxx) will prepare for this response, developing Critical Load (CL) functions which describe the maximum nitrogen and sulphur deposition compatible with long-term protection of habitats. These functions will be based on acceptable limits for biodiversity, defined using a Habitat Quality Index (HQI) developed in Defra project AQ0828. Habitat specialists from the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs) were consulted, and agreement was reached that the basis for a biodiversity indicator should be habitat suitability for positive indicator-species. UK results were presented at the 24th CCE Workshop in April 2014, and were instrumental in the decision by the CCE to request all Signatory Parties to provide data based on biodiversity indicator of this type. Threshold HQI values will be developed, below which a habitat should be considered damaged. Clearly there is more to biodiversity assessment than a binary choice (undamaged versus damaged) on a single axis, but this approach is necessary if biodiversity responses are to be explicitly included in CL modelling and integrated assessment of air pollution impacts. The HQI metric was selected as most clearly related to overall assessments of the quality of habitat examples by the specialists. To determine the most appropriate threshold values, HQI will be calculated for sites with deposition set to the empirical CLs for acidity and nutrient-N. The greater of the two resulting HQI values can also be seen as a good estimate for the threshold. Threshold HQI values will be assessed and a judgement made as to the most suitable value to use. The approach will be illustrated using examples.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/bb06f476-ddb9-4921-919d-fa3a13e19a22 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 Nov 2016 |
| Submission deadline | 24 Nov 2014 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 10 Mar 2015 |
| Contract period | 24 Nov 2014 - 31 Mar 2015 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £34,840 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £34,840 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 3JR |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY & HYDROLOGY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

## Release History

- 18 Nov 2016 at 20:17 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/bb06f476-ddb9-4921-919d-fa3a13e19a22

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/bb06f476-ddb9-4921-919d-fa3a13e19a22
  23rd March 2015 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/97400c43-e123-45ab-8a2f-2b4f48e4af48
  Signed order form_Redacted

## Provenance

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